Conviction in murder of Irish aid worker

A man has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of the kidnap and murder of Irish-born Aid worker Margaret Hassan.

Ali Lutfi Jassar al-Rawi, who was part of the gang that abducted Hassan, was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering the Irish woman at Baghdad's Central Criminal Court today.

Dublin-born Hassan, whose maiden name was Fitzsimons, moved to Britain early in her childhood. She had triple nationality in Ireland, Britain and Iraq. Hassan was married to an Iraqi and had spent 30 years of her life in the country.

She was director of and aid agency called Care International in Iraq. In October 2004, the 59-year-old was taken while on her way to work and killed just over four weeks later.

One other gang member, Mustafa Salman al-Jubouri, was sentenced to life for in 2006, but his appeal resulted in the term being reduced to 18 months.